Flying-machine.



H. G. NELSN.

FLYING MACHINE.

u APPLICATION HLED OCT. 2011915- L d l Wut n 1M l. 923994@ Patemedepu u, m

2 SHEETS-SHEET H. G. NELSON.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.20,191s.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

To all-whom t may concern:

HER-BERT G. NELSON, 0F NEW KAMILCHE, WASHINGTON.

FLYING-MACHINE.

masacre.

Application led October 20, 1916. Serial No. 126,710.

Be it known that I, HERBERT G. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Kamilche in the county of Mason and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to flying machines and the primary object of the invention is to provide a machine which has' a body mounted above the lower plane, which body is flat at the nose and tail ends of the machine and bulges outwardly into an oval shape centrally of the forward and rear or nose and tail ends of the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flying machine having'a body as specified which has a plane or platform suspended beneath the same, the forward end of which is inclosed in a sheet steel casing, which inclosure contains the motors, pilot seat and other mechanism necessary for the operation of the flying machine. l

A still further object of this invention is to provide` a ballast which is positioned beneath the platform or lower plane and extends longitudinally of the same, being very thin in comparison to its height, which ballast is formed of a tank filled with water or similar li uid.

With the oregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 'is a side elevation of the flying machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the flying machine.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the front end of the machine and having the sheet steel casing in section for exhibiting the operative mechanism of the machine, and

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the machine on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the main body of the machine which is composed of a plurality of bowed stays 2 and vertical braces or stays 3, which are covered by a suitable covering 4. The body 1 is comparatively flat at the nosevor front end 5 and the rear or tail end 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The body 1 may be filled with any suitable type of buoyant gas for facilitating the rising and vflying of the machine.

The body 1 has a plurality of depending braces or arms 7 connected thereto, to the lower ends of which is attached a plane or platform 8.

- The forward end ofthe machine is provided with a sheet steel housing 9 which extends downwardly vfrom the under surface of the body 1 and incloses the forward end of the machine above the platform or plane 8.

The pilots seat indicated at 10 is positioned within the inclosure formed by the housing 9 and it is positioned so that the pilot may conveniently reach the various operating mechanisms of the machine.

A shaft 11 is supported within the forward flat end 5 of the body 1 and it has a driving propeller 12 mounted thereon exte riorly of the forward end of the body 1. The shaft 11 is connected in any suitable manner such as by bevel lgears 13 with a shaft 14, which shaft is in turn connected to a motor 15. The motor 15 is supported by the platform 8 within the inclosure formed by the housing 9 and in close proximity to the pilot seat 10.

A second propeller, which will be hereinafter referred to as a sustaining and elevating propeller indicated by the numeral 16 is mounted above the top of the body 1 substantially equi-distant of its ends and it is carried by a vertical shaft 17 which shaft is connected through the medium of bevel gears 18 to a shaft 19. The shaft 19 extends forwardly above the platform 8 and is connected to a motor 20. A compressed air tank 21 is provided which has connection with the motor 20 and is provided for forming a self-starter for this motor, the operation of which self-starting mechanism is controlled by the operation of a valve 22 so that the pilot may, by the operation of the valve 22 start the motor or engine 20 as he desires.

An elevating plane 24 is hingedly connected to the rear end of the body 1 by hinges 25 and it lies in a horizontal plane.

A depending arm 26 is connected to the forward hinged end of the plane 24 and it has a slot' and pin connection indicated at 27 with a rod 28. The rod 28 extends forwardly beneath the body 1 and is connected to Ia hand lever 29 which is positioned in close proximity to the pilot seat 10. A vertical rudder 30 is pivotally carried at the rear endv of the flying machine below the rear or tail end 6 of the machine and it has a rod 31 connected thereto in any suitable manner as indicated at 32 for swinging the rudder as desired. The rod 31 eX- tends forwardly and is connected to a hand lever 33 which is also positioned in close proximity to the pilot seat 10', so that the pilot of the machine may operate either the lever 29 or 33 without moving from his seat.

Suitable port holes 34 are formed in the sheet steel housing 9 for permitting the pilot to see therethrough.

A ballast tank 35 is attached to the under surface of the center of the plane 8, and it is comparatively thin and .relatively deep. The ballast tank 35 is constructed of sheet copper or analogous material and it is filled with water for providing a proper ballast for the flying machine.` A skid 36 is attached to the under surface of the ballast tank 35 at the rear end of the tank and it projects beneath the rudder 30, for riding over the ground and preventing the rudder from engaging the ground when the machine is traveling thereover.

Suitable supporting structures 37 are attached and depend from the platform 8 adjacent to its forward end, which supporting structures have ground engaging wheels 38 rotatably supported thereby.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved fiying machine will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains, and while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterations are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

1. In a iying machine, a buoyant body having a iat forward end and a flat rear end, said body being bulged intermediate said ends to form an oval shape, a platform suspended beneath said body, a driving propeller carried forwardly of and by said flat form and having its upper edges attached to the under surface of said body, port-holes formed in said housing, a pilot seat carried by said platform and positioned interiorly of said housing, and means for o erating said propellers carried by said plat orm interiorly of said housing.

2. In a flying machine, a buoyant body having a flat forward end and a flat rear end, said body being bulged intermediatev said ends to form substantially an oval shape, a platform suspended beneath said body, a driving propeller carried forwardly of and by said fiat front end, a raising and sustaining propeller carried above the central oval shaped portion of said body, an elevating plane hingedly connected to and extending rearwardly from the rear end of said flat rear end, means for pivotally moving said horizontal elevating plane, a vertical rudder pivotally mounted beneath the rear Hat end of said body forwardly of said horizontal elevating plane, a sheet metal housing inclosing the forward portion of said platform and having its upper edges attached to the under surface ofsaid body, port holes formed in said housing, a pilot seat carried by said platform and positioned interiorly of said housing, and means for operating said propellers carried by said platform interiorly of said housing, and a)` ballast tank attached to the under surface of said platform and extending longitudinally along the platform, said ballast tank being comparatively thin and relatively deep and adapted to contain a liquid ballast.

3. In a iying machine, a buoyant body having a fiat forward end and a flat rear end, said body being bulged intermediate said ends to form substantially an oval shape, a platform suspended beneath said body, a driving propeller carried forwardly of and by said iiat front end, a raising and sustaining propeller carried above the central oval shaped portion of said body, an elevating plane hin edly connected to and extending rearwarly from the rear end of said flat rear end, means'for pivotally moving said horizontal elevating plane, a vertical rudder pivotally mounted beneath the rear flat end of said body forwardly of said horizontal elevating plane, a sheet metal housing inclosing the forward portion of said platform and having its upper edges attached to the under surface of said body, port holes formed in said housing, a pilot seat carried by said platform and positioned interiorly of said housing, and means for operating saidy propellers carried by said latform interiorly of said housing, and a ballast tank attached to the under surface of said platform and extending longitudinally along the platform, said ballast tank being comparatively thin andl relatively deep and adapted to contain a liquid ballast, a skid attached to the lower surface of said ballast tank at the rear end of the same and extending outwardly beneath said vertically positioned rudder.

4. ln a flying machine, a buoyant body having a flat forward end and a flat rear end, said body being bulged intermediate said ends to form substantially an oval shape, a platform suspended beneath said body, a driving propeller carried forwardly of and by said flat front end, a raising and sustaining propeller carried above the central oval shaped ortion of said body, an elevating plane hingedly connected to and extending rearwardly from the rear end of said fiat rear end, means for moving said horizontal elevating plane, a tank attached to and depending from the center lof the under surface of said platform, said tank extending substantially throughout the entire length of the platform and being comparatively thin and relatively deep, said tank adapted for retaining a liquid ballast.

5. ln a iiying machine, a buoyant body having a flat forward end and a Hat rear end, said body being bulged -intermediate said ends to form substantially an oval shape, a platform suspended beneath said body, a driving propeller carried forwardly of and by said fiat front end, a raisingand sustaining propeller carried above the central oval shaped portion of vsaid body, an elevating plane hingedly connected to and extending rearwardly from the rear end of said fiat rear end, means for moving said horizontal elevating plane, a tank attached to and depending from the center of the under surface of said platform, said tank extending substantially throughout the entire length of the platform Yand being comparatively thin and relatively deep, said tank adapted for retaining a liquid ballast, ground engaging wheels rotatably supported beneath said platform a short distance rearwardly of its forward ends, and a skid' attached to said platform and extending rearwardly from the rear end of said ballast tank.

6. In a flying machine structure, a buoyant body, propelling means for said body, elevating and sustaining means for said body, a rudder, a platform suspended beneath said body, a tank attached to the under surface of said platform and extending substantially throughout its entire length, said tank being relatively narrow and deep and adapted to contain a liquid ballast.

ln testimony whereof i ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT e. watson.

Witnesses:

GLADYS ll/ll. MANN, GEO. H. FUNK. 

